Norm at workPart four of the stories behind the story of my West Texas Music drive, one of 18 drives featured in Texas Monthly magazine’s Drive issue, June 2012.

Clovis may be across the line in New Mexico but for all practical purposes it could just as well be the other side of Lubbock or Amarillo. It’s a classic western city, defined by railroad lines but laid out for automobiles. The boulevards are spacious and wide, ideal for cruising.

Clovis native Norman Petty started building his recording studio in 1948 in order to record his own mellow music group, the Norman Petty Trio, featuring his wife Vi on vocals. But when Buddy Holly and the Crickets showed up in 1958, Vi and Norm’s own recording dreams took a back seat to the hot rock and roll band from Lubbock. Soon, Buddy Knox and the Rhythm Orchids (“Party Doll”), the Fireballs (“Bottle of Wine”, “Sugar Shack”), the Stringalongs (“Wheels”), Roy Orbison and the Teen Kings (“An Empty Cup and a Broken Date”, “Tryin’ To Get to You”, “Ooby Dooby”), and the Nighthawks (“When Sin Stops”), and Waylon Jennings (“Jole Blon”) joined the Crickets in making the pilgrimage to Clovis. where 12 Top Ten hits were recorded in 15 months.

The sound he created is associated with West Texas rock and roll, wide open, with plenty of space, drenched in echo – part and parcel of the Petty touch.

Since Petty’s death in 1988, the studio has been frozen in time.

The original chair in the control room is perfectly sited between the original Lansing/Altec speakers, which Petty suspended from the ceiling as he did the air-suspended equalizer, all the better to hear “Peggy Sue” and other hit records recorded in the studio. Ken Broad attributes the success of the room to its design (“No flat walls in the studio. They’re cylindrical.”) and to Petty’s perfect pitch.

Shirley Broad plays the celeste keyboard that provided the hook to Holly’s “Every Day” on request and Dean will fire up the Solavox organ that Petty added to “Sugar Shack” after the Fireballs left the studio. If you’re lucky, David Bigham will come along – he’s one of the Roses singing group that backed up the rock and rollers on their recordings after Bigham came to Clovis as one of the Teen Kings, Roy Orbison’s band, after Roy, dissatisfied with his first recordings made at Sun Studios in Memphis, sought out Petty. Petty liked the Roses backing vocals and recruited them to come to Clovis and record for him.

The apartment in the back of the studio was built by Petty for the Crickets, so they could stay and record as long as they wanted. The living area features some innovative designs (eg. a bookshelf built into the fireplace) and zoomy features that capture the essence of 50s moderne.
There’s even an early microwave Petty bought for the apartment. Between the recording studio, the apartment and the home he designed for Vi and him, it’s obvious this eastern New Mexico native was some kind of visionary.

FOXY DRIVE-IN, six blocks from the Petty studio, is a classic 50s establishment with curb service where Holly and his band used to order taquitas, rolled and fried little flautas, now 85 cents each, whenever they were recording. Burgers are pretty great too, with curb service, natch.
720 West 7th @ Thornton, 575 763-7995

NORMAN AND VI PETTY ROCK & ROLL MUSEUM takes the macro view of Norman Petty’s influence on West Texas music in a soda shop/jukebox kind of setting in the basement of the chamber of commerce building. The nine foot Stratocaster and the half circle of piano keys out front mark the spot. Norm and Vi’s private life, Norman’s recording technique (his original mixing board is here), his relationship with Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and the other bands that flocked to the studio for the magic sound are all showcased, with great photographs of the lesser-known acts. 105 East Grand @ Main Street, 800 261 7656 Hours: 8-noon, 1-5 weekdays, weekends by appointment only. Pettymuseum.org $5 admission

The sound that came out of the Biggest Little Music City in the Whole World is celebrated at the Clovis Music Festival the first weekend of every September

1313 West 7th in Clovis

home of Nor-Va-Jak music publishing

Norm Petty Studio marker

Shirley Broad at rest in the Petty Studio reception area

the mixing board at Norm Petty Studios

suspended speakers in Norm’s studio control booth

Norm at work

David Bigham of the Roses (left) and Shirley and Ken Broad, my hosts for the studio tour

Norm and Vi portrait at the museum

Norm and Vi’s director chairs

The Norm Petty Trio

Solavox that provided the hook for “Sugar Shack” by the Fireballs, added by Norm Petty after the band left the studio

David Bigham of the Roses David Bigham of the Roses vocal group, walking away from the celeste that provided the hook to “Everyday” by Buddy Holly and the Crickets

Shirley Broad at the celeste

Shirley Broad and David Bigham by the celeste, which Shirley plays just like Vi Petty played

45 platter lampshade at the Norm Petty Studios

cool 50s clock at Norm Petty Studios

kool kitties

the apartment that Petty built for the Crickets

knick-knacks in the apartment Petty built for the Crickets

the kitchen of the apartment that Petty built for the Crickets (note the microwave in rear right)

Norm Petty studio patio

cool art at the Petty Studio

Norm and Vi’s home

Norm and Vi Petty Rock & Roll Museum

Petty museum exterior

interior of the museum

another showcase at the museum

Petty Museum neon

showcase at the Rock & Roll Museum

painting of Vi Petty at the Rock & Roll Museum

recreation of Petty’s studio at the museum with the original equipment